SALT PILOT STUDIES
OFFICE: Roth Architecture
LOCATION: AlUla, Saudi Arabia
ROTH ARCHITECTURE PROJECT TEAM: Irene del Valle de la Sen, Manuel Fernandez, Federico Gonzalez, Abigail Perez, design staff in office 2022 - 2023
ROTH R&D PROJECT TEAM: Elizabeth Cohn-Martin, Fernando Artigas, Estefania Mejia, Doria Reyes
IMAGE CREDITS: Roth Architecture, LLC
MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT
In RIBA Phase 1 & 2 of the Azulik AlUla resort, our in-house R&D and international consultant team addressed multiple methodologies, compositions and key binders that could be utilized with salt brine. The catalog below offers an overview of the breadth and diversity of samples generated and production methodologies utilized. Our core studies included salt crystallization, cementitious composites, thermosetting and thermosoft polymers, and biopolymers.
As lead consultant on the project, RA R&D produced their own in-house works across all material categories while curating and coordinating the work of the R&D consultant team. Key performance goals, specifications, and assembly conditions were explored and proposed early on in the project to offer guidelines for all. The consultant team included:
SWCC (Saline Water Conversion Corporation), Material ConneXion, Techmer PM, Loci Robotics & POWPOLY, Danish Technological Institute, and LOOK Facade.
